biggish data

Hotel between doing Med and Interview

I like the Hotel Soriente. It's fairly nice but not too expensive, and very close to USEM as well as a block away from the medical clinic. It's at 545 A, Flores, corner of Bocobo Street, just south of UN Avenue. There are no kitchens, but the rooms are big, they have refrigerators and there's a Puregold market and a great roast chicken stand right out front - not too expensive and much easier than cooking. 1,700 PHP/night as of last sumer. I've stayed there many times over the years. Larry the doorman will get you reliable taxis if you ask him, which avoids the hassles of scamming taxi drivers who always want to overcharge.

If you're staying longer than a couple of weeks, you might save some money by renting an "apartelle," but it's been my experience that you have to reserve and pay for at least 2 weeks in advance in order to get a decent rate.

I think their website wants payment in advance, but you can make a reservation through booking.com with no advance payment.

Here's their website:

http://www.hotelsoriente.com/

AKteacher

Male

Philippines

2014-03-04 20:35:00

Driving in Philippines. Have you done it with car rental ?

I just spent 2 months in Mindanao (mostly around Davao, Kadingilan/Doncarlos/Valencia, CDO, and Iligan City) and drove many times with a borrowed SUV as well as a motorcycle. I've never had any problems, but it can be a bit unnerving until you get used to it. The only time I was ever really scared was at night - vehicles without lights crossing/passing over the center line (when there was a center line), pedestrians & animals crossing without warning with no lights or reflectors, etc...). Just have to be very careful. Tinted windows, make sure the horn, lights & wipers work...

I second what cberfx1024 says. Mindanao is just fine as long as you stay on the western side. No question about it, Davao is safer than most parts of Manila. Iligan City was a bit sketchy, quite a few muslims there but all the ones I met seemed OK.

Edited by AKteacher, 23 September 2013 - 10:03 PM.

AKteacher

Male

Philippines

2013-09-23 22:02:00

ID REQUIREMENT FOR DOMESTIC FLIGHT

Does anybody know if Postal ID will be accepted by PAL for domestic air travel?

We'll be taking my wife's parents on a trip to Manila this summer, and they don't have any other ID's. We could get better ID, but it means a long trip down the mountains into the city and back.

AKteacher

Male

Philippines

2011-03-13 12:17:00

NBI Clearance: "For Travel Abroad" or "For Travel To USA"?

My fiancee (now wife) had her NBI clearance "for travel abroad purposes," and had no trouble whatsoever at USEM.

AKteacher

Male

Philippines

2011-10-30 02:51:00

Why it take that long to get the child's CRBA? Is ur wife still in the Philippines? Mine only took 10 days from the time of application to getting the childs US passport.

When was that? Did you file through the normal process or was there some sort of waiver?

AKteacher

Male

Philippines

2014-10-07 09:20:00

Well, we had our first child in the US. But now the only hospital near where my family lives has gone "out-of-network" from our insurance. So we're seriously considering having our second child in Philippines (Davao City). Questions:

1. What's the approximate cost of a normal delivery at a decent hospital (at or equivalent to Davao Doctor's)?

2. About how long does it take to get a US passport for the child so we can return to the US? In that past I have heard it can take many months just for the NSO to record & produce a birth certificate on NSO paper. Is there any way to get around this? Will the US Embassy accept anything othe than a B/C on NSO paper? Is there some sort of expedited service from NSO? Once we file the CRBA with the required documentation, how long does it take for the US Embassy to issue a passport?

Thanks for your help.

AKteacher

Male

Philippines

2014-10-05 15:45:00

Thanks everybody for the great replies!

AKteacher

Male

Philippines

2011-10-12 00:31:00

Can anybody enlighten us about some of the advantages/disadvantages of having a baby in the US vs the Philippines?

Are the better hospitals in Philippines (Davao area) up to international standards? What's the approximate cost of having a baby in Philippines?

How much will the country where the child is born affect the future child's citizenship and property rights in Philippines? (Dad is a US citizen, Mom is a Filipina)?

Thanks in advance for any advice!

AKteacher

Male

Philippines

2011-10-09 01:44:00

Report of Marriage form questions

My experience at the SF consulate is that they will not accept a name in non-PI traditional format. Even my son (on his report of birth abroad and PI passport) was required to have his mother's maiden name as his middle name. So we put his name in the following format: FIRST MIDDLE MOMSMAIDEN LAST and they accepted that.

AKteacher

Male

Philippines

2014-01-14 10:45:00

K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress Reports

NOA2 Approval

Look at Igor's list, that will give the latest information here.

AKteacher

Male

Philippines

2010-04-12 00:26:00

K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress Reports

Typo on K-1 Visa

My wife's K-1 had a mistake in the info listed under "annotation" (a misspelling in the name of the town where I live). I noticed right away at the embassy when we picked up the visa. The clerk said that anything under annotation was just for notation purposes, and that as long as everything else (her name, etc.) was correct, that there would be no problem. Her POE was San Francisco, and we had no problems at all.

The sealed entry packet that your fiancee has contains all the needed details about you/her, but I suppose it wouldn't hurt to let them know about the misspelling at POE.

Edited by AKteacher, 05 October 2010 - 06:25 AM.

AKteacher

Male

Philippines

2010-10-05 06:21:00

K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress Reports

Civil surgeon question

There's no need for another medical exam as long as the last one was less than 1 year ago. Only the vaccination supplement is required. We had trouble finding a civil surgeon that would do only the vaccination supplement - most of them were telling me a full physical exam is "required." Ugh! so expensive... I got tired of getting stonewalled even after reminding them of what the law says, so I just kept calling around. Finally found a clinic that did the supplement for $76.00 - maybe a bit more expensive than average (I live in Alaska), but it was one of the only places I could find.

AKteacher

Male

Philippines

2010-10-05 22:01:00

K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress Reports

February 2010 Filers - California Service Center

Congrats to all the February filers who are getting NOA2's! I'll be right behind you...

AKteacher

Male

Philippines

2010-04-09 21:32:00

K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress Reports

February 2010 Filers - California Service Center

YES! Let's hope CSC keeps pumping out the approvals!

AKteacher

Male

Philippines

2010-04-06 01:41:00

K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress Reports

K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress Reports

Wait...did you get an interview date despite that the embassy doesn't have your case yet?

Congrats to the recent approvals

The NVC schedules interviews (at least in Manila), so as long as they have issued a foreign case number, you can schedule your interview!

Good luck to all filers!

AKteacher

Male

Philippines

2010-04-28 10:26:00

K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress Reports

Got the NVC letter today, called up and got an interview date at the Manila Embassy! They had dates open from May 6th onward, man that's fast! I scheduled for June 1st in order to have time for medical, and so I can be there for the interview. YAY!!!

AKteacher

Male

Philippines

2010-04-27 21:33:00

K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress Reports

APPROVAL!!!

NOA2 email dated 4-15-2010

Go CSC!

Good luck to all filers!

AKteacher

Male

Philippines

2010-04-15 19:38:00

K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress Reports

That's awesome. So I figured, you got your NOA1 two weeks before me, and you got a touch today... So if I get a touch in two weeks, it will be on birthday! I'm being silly, like it would be that exact... But it is exciting that someone in the March group here got a touch today. I have been missing my fiance so much lately...

I know how you feel... it's been months since I've seen my dear sweet one! I'm headed there to Phil early next month, it would be nice if I had more than one package waiting for me there!

Best of luck to you and all March filers!

AKteacher

Male

Philippines

2010-04-13 22:31:00

K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress Reports

I got a touch today!!!!!!!!

AKteacher

Male

Philippines

2010-04-13 20:38:00

Hello fellow March 2010 CSC filers!

CVC received my I129F package on 3/08/10, check cashed on 3/09/10. I have not yet received any NOA1 notification. USCIC website says status is "initial review"

My K-1 should be a relatively simple case - no kids, no previous marriages, no problem with any of the paperwork (unless some unforseen glitch comes up!), no problem meeting any of the requirements. Interview would be at the Manila Embassy.

I seems like CVC has really been moving really fast lately.

Do you think getting her here by late July/early August is possible?

AKteacher

Male

Philippines

2010-03-14 12:46:00

G-325A Typo

I was just reviewing my I-129F packet that was sent on 3/02/10 (NOA1 3/08/10), and discovered that I had made a typo on my (the petitioner's) G-325A. I mistyped one of the ending dates for a residential address (from 4 years ago), which will conflict by a few months with a job I had after I had moved to another state. So if they are really picky, they might question why it looks like I was living in a different state than I worked in for a few months. This was really just a dumb typo I had not discovered (all those forms, ugh!) and I would think it would be immaterial to the application.

Is this likely to generate an RFE? If so, do you think I should I send another G-325A to preempt an RFE?

Thanks in advance for any advice you can give.

AKteacher

Male

Philippines

2010-03-16 01:19:00

plane tickets/boarding pass

I copied only the front of my boarding passes, and included the itinerary as well. I was approved without any problem.

I would make sure, however, that all copies of any boarding passes show the dates, flight #'s, and passenger names and that (of course) these match the itinerary.

AKteacher

Male

Philippines

2010-04-16 20:04:00

US citizen mailing address different than residing address

I live in an area where there is no mail delivery to physical addresses, period. It's all PO boxes. I attached both of these addresses on an extra sheet of paper with an explanation, and noted "see attached" on the G-325a.

AKteacher

Male

Philippines

2010-04-04 20:15:00

Changing name in SSA

If you're here on a K-1 and your I-94 is more than about 2 1/2 months old (I forget the exact time limit), then you'll need to adjust status before SSA will change your name (they want to verify current immigration status, and an expired I-94 will not suffice). After AOS, your green card will have your new name (I assume you put the name you wanted on the marriage certificate and will put your new name on the AOS application). Then use your green card to change your name with SSA. My wife & I went round and round with SSA, and this was the only way SSA would change her name from maiden to married. Just makes sure to put the name you want on your AOS application and verify (at the interview) that the name will be used for your green card.

AKteacher

Male

Philippines

2011-08-31 23:24:00

You were not greeted with hostility. People were very gentle with you until you started arguing and questioning, even AFTER you were given links to the official NVC statement about killing the I-129F on arrival.

When asked to look at what you were calling a "certificate of birth abroad", you continued to argue and question instead of looking and finding the answer. You were NOT born in the USA. Don't beat your head against the wall trying to say you were. You're getting straight talk, not hostility.

celtichobbit

Female

England

2012-05-17 14:22:00

If reading carefully, interpreting literally, attention to detail and answering accurately are not really your forte, it would be best if you hire professional assistance.

And, I may not be the brightest crayon in the box but I love my husband to death and I am absolutely stone-set determined to get him over here so we can be together. I can do anything if I put my mind to it, including figuring this stuff out and at the end I'll be smarter for it.

celtichobbit

Female

England

2012-05-17 12:53:00

Hopefully, you now understand there are people here you can trust and that attention to detail is critical. If reading carefully, interpreting literally, attention to detail and answering accurately are not really your forte, it would be best if you hire professional assistance.

The only reason I actual believe you about all of this is now I have been given the same advice from other people as well, and THEY have been able to give me links that make sense and explain it to me rather than greet me with hostility and a tell me just to listen to them. Thanks for your help.

celtichobbit

Female

England

2012-05-17 12:49:00

Trying to help you with that. Look at what you have. Does it say "Consular Report of Birth Abroad"? I expect it does. If so, check Parents and No and get on with your life. Never heard of a "Certificate of Birth Abroad". Look at it closely and tell us what it is REALLY called, so we can answer your question definitively. Words and terminology make or break you in this process.

I've just looked at it again and it says "Consular Report of Birth Abroad", so that's what I'll do then.

celtichobbit

Female

England

2012-05-17 02:03:00

Thank you all for the info, I think we'll go ahead and discount the K-3 bit, just go with the other one instead, sounds like it would work well in theory but it doesn't in practice, and we really don't want this to take any longer than necessary.

Again, thanks and I'm sorry if I came across as being stubborn or obstinate about any of that, just trying to understand all of this :]

The one thing is I'm still concerned about what to do about the question 'how did you obtain U.S citizenship' with being born to American parents on an airforce base in Japan, I have Certificate of Birth Abroad, so do I check 'parents' then? or birth in U.S? since a U.S base is pretty much U.S soil anyway, right? I can't figure out how I contact these people to ask.

celtichobbit

Female

England

2012-05-16 20:29:00

Now you're confusing me. You say you were NOT born in the USA. Where does your birth certificate say you were born?

To an earlier question, yes things have changed. We are up to date here. What you read about the K3 is out of date by more than two years minimum.

I was born on an AIRFORCE BASE in Japan, so I have a certificate of birth abroad.

So, they haven't updated their website for two years? how does that work?

celtichobbit

Female

England

2012-05-15 18:49:00

Since you won't be filing an I-129F, you'll answer the I-130 question by checking the box next to the word Parents and below that the box next to No. You obtained your citizenship through your parents and did not obtain a certificate of citizenship. Your birth certificate would not be evidence of US Citizenship, so you use a copy of every page of your US Passport (yes, even the blank ones) as evidence of citizenship.

So...how is my birth certificate not proof of citizenship? I used it for getting my passport and it was fine. Can you please refer me to the USCIS site that says it's no good?

celtichobbit

Female

England

2012-05-15 17:06:00

So when it says on the i-129f or any other form that asks this: My citizenship was acquired through: Birth in the U.S or Naturalization, what do I say? there's not much room to explain.

How would it delay my i-130? they say you can do it on the site, why would they tell you that when they know it will take longer and delay things. I had already read that bit that you sent me a link to, I fail to see how that says that stuff will get slowed down? all they say is that if they receive the i-130 first, or receive both at the same time they'll disregard the K3 one and get on with the other, what's the big deal with that?

I'm not saying y'all don't know what you're talking about, because I full well know you've been here before and have done it, I'm just trying to balance out what I'm hearing from the USCIS website and what y'all are saying, obviously it's nice to talk to people with experience, but then you can't always trust what you hear on the web. I know that some of immigration stuff has changed now, like I don't have to be 21 anymore and the fees have changed so I was thinking it might be a bit different now.

celtichobbit

Female

England

2012-05-15 13:58:00

Here's what the site says:

If you are an American citizen you have two ways to bring your foreign spouse (husband or wife) to the United States to live. They are

Immigrant visa for a Spouse of a U.S. Citizen (IR1 or CR1) - An immigrant Petition for Alien Relative, Form I-130 is required.
Nonimmigrant visa for spouse (K-3) - It is important to note that application for the nonimmigrant visa for spouse (K-3) who married a U.S. citizen must be filed and the visa must be issued in the country where the marriage took place. After the visa process has been completed, and the visa is issued, the spouse can travel to the United States to wait for the processing of the immigrant visa case. Two petitions are required:
Petition for Alien Relative, Form I-130; and
Petition for Alien Fiancé(e), Form I-129F

http://travel.state....types_1315.html

So, If I'm correct in my understanding of what it says on this page: http://www.uscis.gov...000082ca60aRCRD
Under the bold 'Can my spouse come to the US while the petition is pending' then I can petition for the K3 after this other one is pending and get him a K3 so we can be together for the whole process. What I'm unsure of and will be looking into is, does he need to return to the UK when he gets the other one, or do we just change his status from non-immigrant to permanent resident?

celtichobbit

Female

England

2012-05-15 12:04:00

So there is no more K3? so I can't petition for his immigrant spouse visa then file the petition for the K3 so he can be here for the whole process? that's what the USCIS site says I can do, but maybe they just haven't updated it?

One more thing, I was born on an Airforce Base in Misawa, Japan, can I put US born on these forms? I'm a US citizen, don't have joint or anything because I was born on base, so I guess I was technically born on US soil, but wanted to double check that..

Thanks for the replies to the other questions, sorry for putting this in the wrong area

-Rebecca

celtichobbit

Female

England

2012-05-15 11:48:00

Okay, here's the deal...working on filling out the G-325a form to send in with a petition for my British husband's spouse visa and I've got some questions..

1. my husband has been going between living in his family's house to living in student housing for uni so how do we fill out the addresses? he's living with them at the moment since he's done with uni now. Do we put that address as the top one so from whatever-date till present and then put the other address in the next box? although, his parents' house has been his permanent address?

2. should we check 'status permanent resident' or 'other': I-130 form?

3. I don't currently have a job, I am in the middle of applying and working at getting one, we're planning on using my Dad as a form of support, but should I wait till I have a job to send off this petition or does it matter? they don't seem to ask much about money in this for, I figure that's what the affidavit of support is though.

4. this isn't really pertinent to the petition form, but how exactly do I go about using my Dad as a form of support for the affidavit of support? do we both fill out that form? do I need a letter from him?

5. how much money does my Dad need to be earning? he's still supporting some of my siblings as well but he's got a REALLY good job where he's making like 600+ a day

6. How long does this process usually take or does anyone know for sure?

7. Also, I'm still not sure exactly what I do after this gets approved so if someone could walk me through that, it would be greatly appreciated

Sorry this is so long, thank you all in advance!

-Rebecca

celtichobbit

Female

England

2012-05-14 02:21:00

We're in the exact same boat! We even have British husbands (well, soon to be husband for me). I'm not sure about the other stuff but I know for you to be the primary sponsor for your husband you have to make close to 19,000 dollars a year. I myself am a nanny, so my dad is being the co sponsor for us. Being young and not having much work/work experience kind of puts us in a tougher place than older petitioners. Good luck!

Wow! what a coincidence! thanks, good luck to you too!

celtichobbit

Female

England

2012-05-21 02:41:00

Thanks

If you are a dependant on his tax return, he needs to count you.

Awesome, thanks for the info!

celtichobbit

Female

England

2012-05-15 21:33:00

Yes, even if you make 0 money, you are still the petitioner and primary sponsor. You still fill out a I-864, and ad tax filings or an explanation why you didn't file.

Thank you so much for the quick reply. Does my Dad count me as a dependent on his form or just count everyone else, like my mom and other siblings still living at home?

by the way, love your picture!

celtichobbit

Female

England

2012-05-15 19:32:00

Heya, I'm in the process of trying to get my British husband over here and I have some questions about joint-sponsorship.

My Dad will be helping me with the sponsorship and he makes more than enough to qualify, but I haven't had an actual job other than some farm chores for about a year, although I have a job interview tomorrow so hopefully that will be resolved, so I don't come anywhere close to having the necessary funds which is why I need my Dad's help, my question is, I can still sponsor my husband right? or do I need to be making a certain amount of money as well? This is the confusing bit for me. I'm still semi-dependant on my Dad, we'll be living in a cabin on his property so do I count as one of his dependents and how am I supposed to fill out the form in that case? just really confused at the moment, hope someone knows the answer to this..

Thanks!
-Rebecca

celtichobbit

Female

England

2012-05-15 18:57:00